


In The Waiting

by stolen_pen_name23



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Anakin Skywalker Needs a Hug, Angst, Anxiety, Blood and Gore, Blood and Injury, Canon-Typical Violence, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Human Disaster Anakin Skywalker, Hurt Anakin Skywalker, Hurt Obi-Wan Kenobi, Hurt/Comfort, Injury, Master & Padawan Relationship(s), Obi-Wan Kenobi Needs a Hug, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Parental Mace Windu, Post-Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, Protective Anakin Skywalker, Protective CC-2224 | Cody, Protective Obi-Wan Kenobi, Sickfic, Tired Obi-Wan Kenobi, Whump, Worried Obi-Wan Kenobi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-08
Updated: 2021-01-07
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:22:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27957587
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stolen_pen_name23/pseuds/stolen_pen_name23
Summary: Obi-Wan finds himself waiting around for Anakin a lot throughout his Padawanship and through the Clone Wars, but he knows Anakin would do the same for him.OR five times Obi-Wan waits for Anakin and the one time Anakin waits for Obi-Wan.
Relationships: Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker
Comments: 148
Kudos: 436





	1. Waiting Room

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone! This is my first crack at a five + one format fic. I'll be skipping around the timeline, but I'll note where each chapter takes place in the beginning notes. Only the final two chapters will be connected to each other, so feel free to skip around if you like. 
> 
> This chapter takes place during The Clone Wars. Enjoy :)

In the waiting, a Jedi knows calm. In the waiting, a Jedi connects their body and their soul with the Force. In the waiting, a Jedi seeks wisdom in that which they do not know. 

Obi-Wan tried to do all these things. He really did. However, his knee bouncing up and down nervously was the most damning evidence of his failure to reach that calm, controlled state that was expected of a Jedi of his standing.

A Master Jedi. A member of the council. A war general. He was all of these things and yet Obi-Wan was entirely unworthy of his  _ Master Kenobi _ and  _ General Kenobi  _ titles. He internally abandoned them the second he entered the waiting room. He didn’t deserve those titles anyway. In here, he was just Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan’s knee kept bouncing. There were only a few things in the galaxy that could make him lose his stoic veneer like this and one of them was currently three hours into a surgery that would hopefully save his life. 

No, it  _ would  _ save his life. It had to because Obi-Wan would wait an eternity if it meant Anakin would survive in the end of it all. If he was still waiting, it meant Anakin was still alive. In that way, the waiting was its own kind of mercy. 

He didn’t realize he had been biting his lip until he tasted blood on his tongue. 

_ Blast it.  _ He wiped his mouth and his hand came away bloody. At least this gave him something to do, something else to occupy the space in his mind. He walked to the fresher and washed the blood off of his hands and off of his lip. He tried not to focus too much on his reflection. He couldn’t find it in him to face himself just yet. 

He dabbed a towel on his lip until it stopped coming away bloody. He threw the towel away but remained by the sink, keeping his eyes fixed on a small drop of water clinging to the porcelain. He gripped the sides until his knuckles were white. His breaths came in shallow, rapid pants. Unshed tears blur his vision.

_ There is no emotion, there is peace. _

_   
_ _ There is no emotion, there is peace. _

_ There is no…  _

_ Come  _ on  _ Kenobi.  _

_ Get.  _

_ It.  _

_ Together.  _

He looked up sharply and took a half step backward at the sight of himself in the mirror. Tear tracks trailed down his face, his eyes shone a bright blue-green, but were red-rimmed with irritation. A choked sob escaped his lips and he looked away from the distraught-looking man in the mirror. He doesn’t remember walking to the wall, but he found himself sliding down it. Knees to his chest, he covered his face with his hands. No one else was here. Alone with his thoughts, he allowed himself this small moment of solitude. He wept into callused, battle-worn hands. 

It was his fault. He knew it. Rex knew it. The men of the 501st knew it. Ahsoka knew it. Anakin Skywalker could die at any moment. The boy he raised, just barely a man, could die at any moment and it would be his fault. 

It was this war. This dreadful, hideous war. It was killing him slowly. Every death was an icepick to his dwindling spirit, but Anakin’s death would be a sledgehammer. 

He took a deep shuddering breath. He needed to go back out there. He needed to wait for Anakin. 

Obi-Wan forced himself off the floor and splashed more water on his face. The only evidence of his breakdown was his slightly irritated eyes.

He sighed and returned to the waiting room. He pushed down his fears so that they were almost out of reach. In doing so, he resumed his position as Master Jedi, High General of the Grand Army of the Republic. He forced Obi-Wan down. Once more, he is Master Kenobi. 

His knee doesn’t bounce anymore. Instead, he stares straight ahead at an invisible dot on the wall, doing his best to sink into a meditation. He didn’t realize he was successful until he was shaken out of it by someone calling his name. 

_ “General Kenobi,”  _ Kix says, concern coloring his voice.

“Yes, sorry,” Obi-Wan said, clearing his throat. “How is Anakin.”

“He’s doing well. It was touch-and-go for a little while, but he’s going to pull through. You know how the General is. Stubborn as always.”

“That he is,” Obi-Wan says, projecting a calm facade. 

Internally, he feels like the weight that has been crushing his chest has been lifted.  _ He’s alive. _

“May I see him?”

“Yes, sir, but he’s asleep. You’re welcome to wait with him. I’m sure he’d appreciate your company once he wakes up.”

“Thank you, Kix.”

“Of course, General.”

Kix doesn’t bother showing Obi-Wan the way. They both know that Obi-Wan is all too familiar with the med center on  _ The Resolute.  _

When he laid eyes on Anakin, it took a lot of willpower to maintain his delicate composure. 

“Oh, Anakin,” he whispered as he gently grasped Anakin’s flesh hand. It seemed to be the only part of him that hadn’t been injured in the blast. 

He sat down next to Anakin and waited. Obi-Wan stared at the young General as if he would disappear if he looked away. After what seemed like an eternity of silence Obi-Wan began talking to Anakin. Regaling him with stories of his past and some of his favorite memories from Anakin’s apprenticeship. The bitter situation they were in only made the memories sweeter. After a while he gave up on telling the stories and just sang softly to Anakin. 

He got up to pour himself a glass of water, turning his back to Anakin for the first time in hours. 

_ “In the twilight glow, I see them…”  _ he sang softly.

“You have a nice voice.”

Obi-Wan almost dropped the pitcher.

“Anakin!”

“Hey, Obi-Wan,” Anakin said weakly.

Obi-Wan rushed to set the pitcher down and return to Anakin’s side. 

“Anakin, how are you feeling?”

“Like I got blown up by a landmine. Where are we?”

“We’re on  _ The Resolute _ . We’re headed back to Coruscant. You’re going to be on leave for a little while. Rex will manage your men in the interim.”

“Are my men okay?” Anakin asked, a trace of anxiety leaking across his voice.

“Yes, they’re all okay, including Rex. There were a few minor injuries, but you Force pushed them all out of the way before any of them could be killed by the blasts.”

Tension released from Anakin’s shoulders and he leaned back down again. 

Obi-Wan remained silent and just stared at Anakin. He watched his chest rise and fall, every breath a confirmation that he was  _ alive _ .

“Would you stop staring at me like that?” Anakin said, interrupting his reverie. “I’m fine, Obi-Wan.”

“Sorry,” he said quickly, looking at his feet instead. “I’m sorry for everything.”

“What?”

“I’m the reason you’re here. It was my call.”

“Master, please, you couldn’t have known.”

“I should have.”

“Master…”

“ _No, Anakin,”_ Obi-wan snapped, causing Anakin to jump slightly. “I was overconfident. Reckless. I thought we had them. I thought sending you and the 501st in for the ground assault would give us an easy win when I know better than anyone that no such thing exists.”

“You couldn’t have known about the mines. They were using new technology. Our sensors were blind to it. There was no way…”

“I should have known they had something in their back pocket. It was too easy. I should have…”

“You should have what? Gone down there yourself? Let you and the 212th get blown up instead? What if you hadn’t sensed it as quickly as I had? I was able to push my men back in time, but what if you hadn’t? You. Cody. Your men. All of you could be dead right now if our positions had been reversed. Maybe you would have noticed it before I did. Maybe you would have gotten yourself and all your men to safety before I did, but we don’t know that. We can never know that.”

Obi-Wan paused and took a moment to ponder Anakin’s words. If he was being honest with himself, they sounded like words he would volley at Anakin if the situation had indeed been reversed. 

_ Here and now, Padawan.  _ His old Master’s voice came back to him. He knew Qui-Gon would not have put up with a word of this. Obi-Wan had always struggled with what-ifs. He sighed. He would not burden his former Padawan with his what-ifs anymore. 

“After all this time, do you really have such little faith in my abilities as a Jedi?” he said, managing a half-smile. 

Anakin laughed but winced when it pulled on his new sutures. “Not at all, Master. I’m just saying we’ll never know who would have had a faster reaction time. I mean… we can make assumptions… buuuut…”

“Oh do shut up,” Obi-Wan said with a full smile this time. 

Anakin looked so pale and small on the hospital bed, but his eyes… The strength of a hurricane always brewed behind his eyes and Obi-Wan could see it even now as he lay in this weakened state. The raging storm brought him comfort. 

After some time, Obi-Wan could tell Anakin was falling asleep. The storm was shuttered behind drooping eyelids. 

“Rest now, Anakin,” Obi-Wan said gently, carding a hand through Anakin’s light brown hair. 

“Are you going back to  _ The Negotiator?”  _ Anakin asked, clearly trying to hide his disappointment.

“No, I’ll wait right here with you.”

“Thank you, Obi-Wan.”

“Of course, Anakin,” he said, leaning back into a more comfortable position.

He didn’t mind a little waiting.


	2. Jailbreak

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oops, I accidentally wrote a bonus chapter for this fic. Now it will be six times Obi-Wan waited for Anakin and one time Anakin waits for Obi-Wan. This chapter is much lighter in tone than all the rest so enjoy this little breather in between angst lol. Oh and it takes place while Anakin is still a Padawan, probably 15ish in age.
> 
> I'll keep posting every Tuesday, but for now, have a bonus chapter on the house!

Leave it to Anakin to make them late for a state dinner on a planet that valued punctuality so ardently. 

The culture on this planet was  _ stiff  _ to put it lightly. Even Obi-Wan, who valued structure and order, found the rules and social norms of this planet restrictive. They had laws put in place about everything. No alcohol consumption two hours after sundown. No public displays of affection between couples, even if they were bound by marriage. No “obscene” hair colors. Obi-Wan wasn’t sure what an obscene hair color was, but he was glad that his and Anakin’s hair colors were within the bounds of the law. 

While the laws were strict and steadfast, it was the social customs that were of utmost importance to the people. One of these social customs was punctuality. 

Obi-Wan smiled nervously at the oligarchs who all were staring daggers at him.

_ I’m going to kill him. _

Obi-Wan suppressed a sigh and braced himself for the chagrin of the oligarchs before him.

“My sincerest apologies on behalf of my Padawan. I’m sure he has a good explanation for his delay.”

“Explanation or no explanation, tardiness is not welcomed here.”

Obi-Wan internally cringed.

_ Obi-Wan! _

The loud and desperate shout that came across his bond with Anakin made him wince.

“Is something the matter, Master Kenobi?”

“No, my Padawan is just trying to reach me through our bond.”   
  


“Your bond?”

“Yes, we have a mental bond that connects us. It allows us to communicate with each other.”

“It seems rude to be having mental conversations with someone when other people are in the room.”

Obi-Wan flushed. “No, we’re not having a conversation… he just…”

_ Obi-Wan! _

Obi-Wan winced again. 

The oligarchs started giving each other pointed looks, but now Obi-Wan was distracted. 

_ Anakin, where in the blazes... _

_ Master, I’m sorry, I need your help! _

Obi-Wan’s mood instantly shifted from frustrated to concerned. 

_ Are you hurt, Padawan? _

_ No, no, well… the cuffs kind of hurt.  _

Obi-Wan stood up quickly and the oligarchs gasped at him. He ignored them. It was clear to him that it was far too late to win over their good graces anyway.

_ Cuffs? Anakin, who has you? Where are you? _

_ The city police. I think I’m being arrested.  _

_ The police? What… Anakin, what did you do? _

_ Nothing! I swear! _

_ It was clearly something, Padawan. _

_ I don’t know! I crossed the street and all of a sudden I was being arrested! _

_ Alright, calm down, we’ll figure this out. Don’t fight against them, I don’t think they’ll hurt you and I don’t want you doing any more damage than we’ve already done here.  _

_ Alright, but can you just hurry? I think they’re taking me to the police station. _

“My apologies, it appears my Padawan has quite literally been detained. I need to attend to him. I hope all is forgiven,” Obi-Wan said quickly. He didn’t give them time to respond as he darted out of the long dining hall and onto the city sidewalk. 

He looked around wildly and spotted an air taxi. He hailed it over. 

“Can you take me to the police station?” Obi-Wan questioned.

The driver quirked an eyebrow at him and Obi-Wan internally groaned.

“Please?” he added, exasperated and feeling like a chastised youngling.

The driver motioned for him to get in. Obi-Wan scrambled into the backseat and tried to calm himself.

_ I’m going to kill him. _

_ I heard that!  _ Anakin shouted through their bond.  _ Hurry up Master, they’re taking me to the police station. _

_ I’m coming Padawan. Just stay calm alright? _

_ Alright. _

Obi-Wan sent a wave of reassurance through their bond… or tried to anyway. This whole planet had him on edge.

When the taxi driver dropped him off, Obi-Wan barrelled through the front doors of the police station like a man on a mission.

“Anakin!” he shouted as he ran to a holding cell along the back wall of the police station. Anakin was still handcuffed and he was missing his saber. He looked as irritated as Obi-Wan felt. 

“Excuse me sir, who are you?” An officer said standing up before Obi-Wan could reach the cell. Obi-Wan looked around and realized the room was packed with officers. 

“I’m Obi-Wan Kenobi. I’m a Jedi. This is my Padawan, Anakin Skywalker,” he said, gesturing to Anakin. “We’re here on a diplomatic mission.”

“Pleasure to meet you, Master Jedi,” the officer replied.

“Can I ask why my Padawan was detained?”

“I caught him walking across the street without making his way to a designated pedestrian crosswalk.” 

Obi-Wan’s eyes narrowed.

“I’m sorry, let me see if I understand all of this correctly,” Obi-Wan said with the faux patience Anakin was all too familiar with. “You arrested a teenage boy, a Padawan of the Jedi Order here on a diplomatic assignment, for  _ jaywalking?”  _

“It’s a very serious offense, Master Jedi,” the officer said solemnly. “He could have hurt himself or endangered the lives of others.”

Obi-Wan was getting very tired of this planet. 

“Okay, fine, it’s a serious offense,” he said placatingly. “However he is here with me, and as Jedi, we have diplomatic immunity.”

“Diplomatic immunity becomes null and void when a crime is committed.”

“Then what’s the point of… nevermind. What do I need to do to get him out of here?”

“Bribery is a serious offense, Master Jedi,” the officer said standing up.

“I wouldn’t dare offer to bribe you, officer,” Obi-Wan said quickly. “But if there is a bail I can pay for, I would be happy to do so.”

“I’m afraid not. He will stay here until his trial.”

“And when will that be?”

“You’re not actually considering this Master?” Anakin interjected.

“Hush, Padawan,” Obi-Wan said sharply. “When will his trial be?”

“It usually takes a few months to set a date.”

_ “A few months to set a date?”  _ Anakin said incredulously.

“That  _ is _ quite a long time to wait,” Obi-Wan added.

“That is how we do things, Master Jedi.”

“That is unfortunate,” Obi-Wan said pensively, stroking his beard.

“Um? Master?” Anakin said, anxiety rising in his voice.

Obi-Wan ignored Anakin and instead focused on centering himself in the Force. “Now Officer,” he began slowly. “I’m going to give you one opportunity to let my Padawan go peacefully.”

All of the other officers in the room were now paying full attention. Some stood up and reached for their blasters.

“I don’t understand, Master Jedi,” the officer said, laying a hand on his blaster. 

“Then let me state it clearly. Unlock that cell and let me and my Padawan walk out of here and return to our ship, or I will do it myself.”

Anakin’s eyebrows raised and his lips quirked into a smile.

“Threatening an officer is a violation of our laws, Master Jedi.”

“I figured as much, though I am feeling a spark of rebellion today. Let my Padawan go, and we will be on our way.”

“I’m afraid I can’t do that, Master Jedi.”

“Very well then,” Obi-Wan said casually, brandishing his lightsaber. Of course, he had no real intention of hurting anyone, but he needed to get that cell open somehow. 

“Put the weapon down, and we won’t hurt you.” 

Obi-Wan rolled his eyes. 

“See, now you have offended  _ me _ ,” Obi-Wan said, a look of mock-offense crossing his face. 

He took a side step towards the cell and the room erupted all at once. The officers had begun shooting at him, but he expertly deflected every blaster bolt. He diverted the bolts away from him and aimed for the walls behind the officers. 

He slowly worked his way backwards to the cell. Anakin had the good sense enough to stand directly behind Obi-Wan since he had little else to shield himself with. 

In one quick movement, Obi-Wan Force pulled the nearest blaster to his left hand and quickly set it to stun. 

As he continued to deflect blaster bolts with his saber, he began to systematically stun each of the officers until they were all lying in useless, shivering heaps on the ground.

He threw the weapon to the side in disgust before sauntering over to Anakin’s cell. 

“Stand back, Anakin.”

Anakin took a step backward and Obi-Wan easily sliced through the lock on the cell. The door swung open with ease. Obi-Wan quickly cut through the cuffs on Anakin’s wrists. He noticed the light bruising around his wrists and Obi-Wan quickly quelled a spark of anger brewing in his chest. 

“Are you alright?” Obi-Wan said, continuing to look him over with a critical gaze.

“I’m okay,” Anakin affirmed.

“Good, let’s get out of here. I’d rather not wait around here for them to regain the ability to shoot at us.”

“Good plan, Master,” Anakin said, a wide grin spread across his face. He took a moment to dig through the drawers of the officer’s desk. “Ah-ha!” he shouted triumphantly, holding the hilt of his lightsaber in his hands.

“Let’s go,” Obi-Wan said with a grin.

Together, they took off into the night, and for once, Obi-Wan didn’t care about the rules they broke along the way.


	3. Siege

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one takes place during The Clone Wars!

_ Come on Anakin. _

Another blaster bolt whirred past his ear – so close it singed the tips of his hair. 

_ Too close, Kenobi.  _

He was getting sloppy, but he couldn’t help it. He and the 212th had been fighting an unending tidal wave of droids for over two hours now and he was  _ tired.  _ With every glimpse at his men, Obi-Wan noticed the glistening white armor becoming increasingly stained by mud and blood splatter. 

Anakin should be here by now. They needed air support and they needed ground reinforcements. He was  _ supposed  _ to be here by now. Obi-Wan shed his annoyance and focused on the battle before him. 

A droid made the mistake of shooting a clone a few feet away from Obi-Wan. With a quick hand gesture, the droid was a pile of scrap metal on the ground. Obi-Wan didn’t linger in his success. Instead, he spun around and cleaved his way through another small horde of droids, dodging and deflecting blaster bolts with every step.

He braved another glance at his battalion. It looked smaller than when they had landed. He quelled his grief for another time. He would mourn his men when they got out of here.  _ If  _ they got out of here.

_ Don’t think about that yet. Focus Kenobi. _

With each passing moment, the odds were stacking higher and higher against a victory for the Republic. He needed Anakin. 

He swung his lightsaber, decapitating two droids as four more took their place. His muscles burned with overuse and his footwork was becoming more sluggish as he sank further into the mud. Pivoting to the right, he used his momentum to take out another droid, but in doing so, left his side open. A droideka got in a shot. He doubled over with a pained grunt. 

_ Stupid. You know better than that. _

“Cover the General!” Cody shouted. A small group of clones systematically surrounded him while he recovered his breath. 

Emotion threatened to flood his being at the support of his battalion.  _ I don’t deserve them.  _

As his troopers encircled him, protecting him from the never-ending onslaught of droids, he sunk to his knees on the muddy battlefield. He coughed and panted miserably. 

“Are you alright, General?” Cody questioned, kneeling down and placing a steadying hand on Obi-Wan’s shoulder

“I’m perfectly alright Commander, I just…” Obi-Wan tapered off. 

“General?” Cody’s concern was palpable.

“Wait,” Obi-Wan said quietly, holding up a finger. Eyes closed, he took a deep centering breath and aligned himself with the Force.

“What is it, General?” Cody asked again, more urgently.

Blue eyes flashing open, Obi-Wan smiled. “They’re here.”

As he said it, starfighters zoomed overhead. Gunships followed closely behind, dropping clones into the center of the action. The 212th cheered the arrival of the 501st battalion. Hope surged through the battlefield once more and the clones fought with renewed vigor. 

A gunship flew above Obi-Wan and Cody. Both men flinched slightly as Anakin landed in a crouch right beside them. Mud splashed on both of them and Obi-Wan rolled his eyes.

“You always have to make an entrance don’t you?” Obi-Wan sighed, wiping mud off of his face. 

“Stealth was never my style.” 

“Neither was punctuality,” Obi-Wan huffed. “Honestly Anakin, of all the times to be late…”

“I’m sorry, it was the hyperdrive. It was broken and no one else was nearby to come help.”

“Explain later. Help me up.”

“Woah, are you alright?” Anakin questioned, just now noticing the blood mixed in with the mud on Obi-Wan’s side. Being reminded of it only made the pain flare up before dissipating from excess adrenaline. 

“I’m fine. It’s not too bad.”

“I would rather let Helix decide that, General,” Cody interjected. 

“We’re almost done here, Cody. I’ll be fine.”

Obi-Wan didn’t miss the unsure looks exchanged between Cody and Anakin, but he chose to ignore them.

Anakin reached a hand down and pulled Obi-Wan to his feet. Obi-Wan steadied himself and made a half-hearted attempt to brush some dirt off his tunics.

“You sure you’re good to fight right now?” 

“Of course,” Obi-Wan said, reigniting his lightsaber. “Now, help me end this.”

“It would be my absolute pleasure, Master,” Anakin said, reigniting his. A wicked grin crossed his face – a grin that signaled to Obi-Wan this would all be over  _ very  _ soon. 

With renewed strength, Obi-Wan fought with more determination than he had possessed moments ago. Without any thought or spoken communication, Anakin and Obi-Wan synchronized their movement, working in lethal harmony to destroy their mechanical enemies. 

Side-by-side, they worked through the droids like knives through butter. Some of the shinies looked on in awe at the two Jedi Generals as they carved through the battlefield with ruthless abandon. The clones provided cover and did their best to pick off any droids that managed to survive the Jedi, though there weren’t many. 

Breathing heavy, Obi-Wan continued to push through the thick horde of droids until he noticed the horde growing thinner. 

“They’re retreating!” Anakin shouted. Obi-Wan smiled at the sound of their combined battalions shouting in victory even as he and Anakin continued to destroy the few droids that still remained around them. 

As the droids retreated completely, the two Jedi disengaged their lightsabers. 

“What would you do without me, Obi-Wan?” Anakin said, turning to face his former Master. “Obi-Wan?”

Obi-Wan distantly heard Anakin calling his name, but he was finding it a little hard to focus. With the battle at an end, the adrenaline that had kept him on his feet was abandoning his bloodstream at an alarming speed. He looked down at his side and realized it now looked more bloody than muddy. At the sight of it, he felt the sharp pain return and his vision started to blur.

“That’s quite unfortunate,” he said lazily as he once again sank to his knees.

“Obi-Wan!” Anakin called out in alarm. He ran to Obi-Wan and kneeled down by his side, splashing even more mud onto his former Master.

“Anakin, you have to stop doing that,” Obi-Wan said, annoyed.

“We really need to work on your priorities, Master.”

Obi-Wan pitched forward, but Anakin caught him and lay him down across his lap. 

“Cody, get a medic!” Anakin's voice sounded rattled and far away. 

“On it, General!”

“Hang in there, Obi-Wan,” Anakin said, pressing down on the still-bleeding blaster wound on his side. 

“This is why it’s important to be on time for things,” Obi-Wan said in between labored breaths.

“You’re really going to lecture me,  _ now?” _

“Seemed as good a time as any.”

“You’re unbelievable,” Anakin huffed. 

Obi-Wan closed his eyes and focused on steadying his breaths. 

“Hey, stay awake.” 

Obi-Wan blinked up at him slowly. “I think I technically still outrank you.” He closed his eyes again.

“I don’t care if you outrank the chancellor, keep your eyes open.” 

“Always so petulant.”

“Someone needs to keep you on your toes.”

Obi-Wan hummed. He was tired. He just wanted to sleep. Why wasn’t Anakin letting him sleep? 

“Obi-Wan  _ please.” _

He sounded upset. Obi-Wan hated it when Anakin was upset. Nothing good ever came of that. Even still, he couldn’t bring himself to stay awake any longer. The last thing he heard was Anakin calling his name.

* * *

Obi-Wan didn’t want to wake up, but something inside of him was urging him towards consciousness. 

He fought it. He wanted to rest. Pain radiated through his side and he wanted to go back to blissful unawareness. 

_ But when do I ever get what I want?  _ He thought to himself in resignation. 

He blinked his eyes open and squinted at the bright fluorescent lights above him.  _ Ugh, I must be in the med bay. _

“Obi-Wan?” came a familiar voice.

Obi-Wan turned to the side and noticed Anakin hovering over him with a worried expression. 

“What’s wrong, Anakin?” his voice was hoarse, making him realize how thirsty he was. 

Anakin laughed incredulously. “What’s wrong? You nearly bled out on the battlefield out there. That’s what’s wrong.”

“Oh.”

Obi-Wan closed his eyes again, but this time it was in pain and not exhaustion. 

Anakin must have noticed the pained expression on his face. “Master, does it hurt?”

He nodded weakly. 

“I’ll be right back.”

“Wait,” Obi-Wan said, his cheeks suddenly flushing a light pink. “Stay. Please.”

The request clearly surprised Anakin, but Obi-Wan didn’t care too much. He didn’t want to be alone. 

Anakin looked torn. He looked back at the hallway and then back to Obi-Wan. 

“I need to get you something for the pain. I’ll be right back, I promise.”

Obi-Wan nodded.

“Don’t be late,” Obi-Wan called out after him.

“Don’t worry Master, I won’t be long.”

He closed his eyes and silently waited for Anakin to return.


	4. Argument

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter takes place when Anakin is a teenager. Probably the 14-16 year range. 
> 
> Thank you for reading and for all the comments and kudos! <3

The tea was hot on his lips, but Obi-Wan relished the burning sensation. It was familiar and always managed to bring him comfort when he was worried about his Padawan.

The first time Anakin had snuck out of the temple had been years ago. He had gotten himself, and therefore Obi-Wan, into some trouble. Obi-Wan had hoped that that would be the first and last time Anakin snuck out. Unfortunately, the one time mistake turned into a habit. After that first time, Anakin had become more streetwise. He hadn’t gotten himself into any trouble outside of the temple since then, well, nothing _that_ serious and certainly nothing he couldn’t get himself out of. Still, that didn’t stop Obi-Wan from worrying about him every time he left the temple in the middle of the night.

Obi-Wan was already an insomniac, but when he knew Anakin was gone, he knew he had no hope of getting any sleep until his Padawan returned safely. 

So he waited. He drank his tea and he waited. 

Usually, he would pretend not to notice his Padawan’s absence. He would lay in his bed, staring up at the ceiling, waiting for his familiar presence to enter their shared living space. But this time was different. 

This time, it was his fault.

Normally, when Anakin fled their apartment in the middle of the night, it was because he had had a particularly rough day in his classes, or he was just missing his mom. No, this time Obi-Wan knew exactly who was to blame for Anakin running off on his own into the dangerous Coruscanti underbelly. 

He recalled their bitter argument with shame. 

He didn’t even know how it started. He knew he shouldn’t have engaged with Anakin when he was being particularly _emotional_ , but Anakin always knew just what buttons to press. He knew intimately what words he could say that could cause Obi-Wan to temporarily shed his cool exterior for something tantalizingly darker. 

_“Qui-Gon never cared about you. The second he saw me he forgot all about you. He wanted nothing to do with you.”_

_“Qui-Gon’s opinion of you doesn’t_ matter _because he is not the one who is stuck with you.”_

Words on their own held no tangible properties. They could not be melted down and molded into a sword or dagger, and yet, when strung together in the right combinations, they could be sharper than the gleaming blade of a lightsaber. As it turns out, Obi-Wan _also_ has an intimate understanding of what words could cut Anakin the deepest.

The memory of Anakin’s expression when he had told him he was stuck with him made him feel queasy. He attempted to quell the growing nausea by sipping on his tea, but he wasn’t finding much success. 

Obi-Wan hadn’t meant it. _Of course_ he hadn’t meant it. Obi-Wan did not feel “stuck” with Anakin and never truly had. But he knew that was one of Anakin’s fears. Anakin had wounded him and Obi-Wan wanted to wound him in turn. It had been selfish and immature and overall not very “Jedi-like.”

His thoughts swirled with regret and with worry over his missing Padawan. He was older now, but he was still only 16 – an age where everyone thinks themselves invincible, but especially Anakin Skywalker. 

Thunder cracked loudly, causing the walls to vibrate. 

_Of course, it’s raining_ . _Why is it_ always _raining when he does this?_

As another clap of thunder rattled the walls, Obi-Wan decided he’d had enough of waiting. He threw on his cloak and opened the front door, only to stop dead in his tracks. 

There, standing before him on the other side of the threshold was his Padawan, soaking wet and looking quite miserable. A look of surprise crossed his face before he schooled it away into something far more neutral.

“Anakin?”

Anakin pushed past him, ignoring his query.

Obi-Wan was _not_ going to let him go hide in his room without speaking to him first. 

“Anakin, come here,” he said in a tone he hoped was authoritative enough to command Anakin’s attention without scaring him off. 

Anakin turned to him slowly, his eyes downcast, but he didn’t move from his spot in the middle of their living room. Obi-Wan walked to him instead. 

“Anakin, I…” Obi-Wan paused when he got a closer look at Anakin’s face. “What happened Padawan?”

Anakin looked down at his feet. Obi-Wan waved his hand and the overhead light came on. He looked closely at Anakin’s face. He had a purple bruise swelling his right cheekbone and his lip was split. Obi-Wan slowly reached out and pulled Anakin’s hood off his head. His hair was soaking wet despite the hood he had been wearing. Obi-Wan also noticed his eyes were red and irritated as though he had been crying. 

_Oh Anakin._

“What happened?” he asked again. 

“You should have seen the other guy,” Anakin huffed.

“Are you hurt anywhere else?” Obi-Wan reached for Anakin, but he the younger Jedi pulled away.

“Nothing too bad.”

“Where are you hurt?”

“It’s nothing.” 

_“Anakin.”_

“Why do you even care?” he snapped angrily. 

Obi-Wan paused. How could he possibly explain to his Padawan _just how much_ he cares? “Anakin, I care about your health and well-being. Now tell me, _where are you hurt?”_

Something shifted in Anakin’s expression before he carefully switched back to the guarded look he had been maintaining. “My ribs,” he finally relented. 

“Are any of them broken?”

“I don’t know. I don’t think so.”

Obi-Wan noticed Anakin shivering. He was still in his wet clothes. A small puddle was pooling around Anakin’s feet 

“Go,” Obi-Wan said softly. “Go change into something warmer. I’ll make you some tea.”

“I don’t like tea”

“I don’t care. I don’t want you getting sick.” 

Anakin huffed, but went to his room.

Obi-Wan sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. 

He already had a pot of tea made, so he poured some into a small cup and filled it with an obscene amount of milk and sugar – the only way Anakin would ever drink it. 

“Let me see your ribs,” Obi-Wan said as he poked into Anakin’s room with a streaming mug and an ice pack. 

“Please leave me alone,” Anakin whined.

“Let me see,” Obi-Wan said more sternly, putting both items on Anakin’s side table.

Anakin begrudgingly lifted his shirt to reveal dark, painful bruises all over his ribs.

Obi-Wan winced sympathetically before running gentle fingers along each of his ribs. Anakin hissed when he grazed the black and blue bruises. 

“You’ll live,” Obi-Wan said dryly. “I don’t think anything’s broken, but that bruising is pretty nasty. Padawan, _please_ tell me what happened.”

“It was nothing.”

“ _Anakin.”_

“I may have _accidentally_ bumped into a drunk Nautolan.” 

“ _One_ drunk Nautolan?” Obi-Wan questioned, unimpressed.

“And his friends.” Anakin paused. Obi-Wan stared at him expectantly. “And the bouncer.”

“Anyone else?”

“No.”

“I see.”

There was an awkward silence between them. 

“Anakin,” Obi-Wan began.

“Please, Obi-Wan, can you lecture me tomorrow?”

“I’m not going to lecture you… yet. I want to apologize.”

“You don’t have to do that.” 

“Yes, I do.”

Anakin sighed dramatically.

“Anakin, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said what I said. I said it to get a rise out of you, which is _not_ how a Jedi should operate and certainly not how a Master should treat their Padawan.”

Anakin’s eyes turned downcast.

“That doesn’t change anything, Master. You’re still _stuck_ with me.” 

“I didn’t mean what I said. Not even a little bit.”

Anakin looked at him with wary eyes.

“Besides,” Obi-Wan said with a half-smile and a hollow laugh. “You are the one who is stuck with me.”

“What?”

“I know training with me was not what you wanted. Not really. You wanted a Jedi Master. You wanted Qui-Gon. Not some green Jedi Knight. Barely a Jedi Knight at that. I understand that, more than I think you know, Anakin. But you must know that I do not feel stuck with you. Not one bit.”

Anakin was now shaking his head vigorously. “No, no, _no_ Obi-Wan. That’s not… no. You’re wrong.” 

Obi-Wan looked up into Anakin’s fiery gaze. His brows creased in confusion. 

“Of course I was upset when Qui-Gon died. I didn’t know you. Not like I do now. I’m sorry that Qui-Gon is not here, but I’m glad that you’re my Master. I don’t _want_ anyone else.” 

Obi-Wan stayed silent, analyzing his Padawan’s admission for any signs of dishonesty. His eyes were pleading and earnest. 

“Anakin, I…”

“You don’t have to say anything… look, I’m sorry too alright? Can we just, I don’t know, move on?”

“Alright, Padawan,” Obi-Wan smiled at him. “Now, are you sure you’re not too badly hurt?”

“I’m sure.”

“Good. One less trip to the healers for us.”

“That’s too bad, it’s always a pleasure seeing Master Che reprimand you,” Anakin grinned mischievously. 

“Watch your mouth, Padawan, it’s going to get you in trouble someday,” Obi-Wan said, turning to leave. “And stop sneaking out. You’re going to make me go gray before I even turn 35.”

“I don’t know, I think the silver fox look could work on you. The ladies like that you know?”

“ _Goodnight_ Padawan,” Obi-Wan said as he closed the door.

“Goodnight old man,” Anakin called out.

Obi-Wan rolled his eyes and let out a breath he didn’t know he had been holding. He quietly closed the door and returned to his own room. He had some sleep to catch up on.


	5. Rendezvous

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Anakin doesn't show up on time at a rendezvous, Obi-Wan goes looking for him. But will Obi-Wan find his friend in time?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Takes place during the Clone Wars

“He really should be here by now, Commander,” Obi-Wan said, unable to hide the nervousness from his voice. 

“It’s General Skywalker, Sir. He’s bound to show up at any minute,” Cody said placatingly.

“You’re probably right.”

Right or not, Cody’s words clearly gave little comfort to the General. Obi-Wan continued to fidget anxiously, his brows creased in concern. It was true that General Skywalker had not returned to the rendezvous point in the time frame the two generals initially agreed upon, but it hadn’t been _that long_ since the agreed-upon time had passed. Still, Obi-Wan tugged on his sleeves in that nervous way of his. 

Obi-Wan once again tried to reach Anakin on his comm. It came back silent. “He should be here,” he murmured under his breath, so low Cody almost didn’t hear it. Almost. He felt a pang of anxiety on Obi-Wan’s behalf. He knew Obi-Wan’s former Padawan meant everything to him. Cody was in a very select group of people who had seen how torn up Obi-Wan would get when Anakin was seriously injured. For his General’s sake, Cody hoped Anakin was truly just late. 

“Sir, General Skywalker isn’t exactly known for his punctuality is he?”

“No, he’s not, but-”

“But you have a bad feeling?” Cody said, cutting him off before he could even finish his sentence.

Obi-Wan narrowed his eyes at him. “...Yes.”

“I was afraid of that.”

Obi-Wan crossed his arms over his chest and stroked his beard as if he had not yet made up his mind about his next move. Cody knew better than that.

“I’m going after him.”

“And now _I’ve_ got a bad feeling.” 

“Don’t say that Cody. I’m just going to do a little scouting. I won’t go too far. Comm me if he returns before I do.”

“Sir, I think I should go with you.” 

“No, you should wait here, in case he comes back injured.”

“What if _you_ come back injured?”

“Such little faith you have in your General?” Obi-Wan asked, just barely masking the anxiety that was so clearly present.

“It’s not faith, Sir, it’s experience.” 

“Fine, if I’m not back in three hours you have my permission to send a search party on my behalf.” 

“Make it two.”

“Fine, if I’m not here in two and a half hours, send a search party.”

“Fine,” Cody relented. “Two and a half hours.”

Cody watched Obi-Wan jog into the dense jungle. He shook his head in disapproval.

No, Cody did not have a good feeling about this at all. 

* * *

Obi-Wan’s heart thundered in his chest, though it wasn’t entirely due to physical exertion. He tore through the jungle, searching desperately for any sign of his former Padawan. Tugging at their old bond had proven a fruitless exercise. Anakin was alive, that much he could tell. However, Anakin wasn’t responding to his mental calls, almost as though he were hiding himself. That was until a cry of pain so sharp and terrified rippled across their bond, it brought Obi-Wan to a staggering halt.

_Anakin!_

There was no reply. Just echoes of pain and fear. 

Running on instinct alone, Obi-Wan let his feet carry him deeper and deeper into the dense jungle. He swung his saber through vines and branches, clearing a path that would hopefully guide him to where he wanted to go.

Obi-Wan was close, he knew that much. He quickened his pace and continued slashing his way through thick vines. 

“Anakin!” Obi-Wan shouted as the young Jedi came into view. 

He lay on his back, skin pale as death. Three gaping slash marks ran across Anakin’s torso, weeping blood and darkening his tunics. 

_‘Anakin,”_ Obi-Wan whispered.

“Behind… you…” Anakin murmured weakly. Obi-Wan whipped around and saw immediately what Anakin was talking about. A massive Manka cat was staring at him. It licked its chops and slobber dripped from its gleaming fangs. Obi-Wan locked eyes with the Manka cat responsible for wounding his former Padawan. Its muscles rippled with anticipation and its tail flicked back and forth.

It was over in seconds. 

The beast pounced at Obi-Wan, unaware of the weapon he held in hand. At just the right moment, Obi-Wan ignited his lightsaber and pierced the chest of the menacing predator. Obi-Wan fell backward, the dead animal laying on top of him. 

The combination of having the wind knocked out of him and having a four hundred pound animal laying on top of him left Obi-Wan gasping for breath. He squirmed about, desperate to escape the beast’s still warm carcass. Digging his nails into the dirt, he pulled himself out from underneath the beast and scrambled to Anakin’s side. 

It was worse up close. 

The beast’s claws had ripped open Anakin’s tunics, exposing flesh that had been dyed red with blood. The wounds were deep and angry. Obi-Wan ripped off his robe and pressed it to Anakin’s wounds. The younger man yelped at the newfound pressure. 

“Commander,” Obi-Wan called into his comm. “I’m sending you my coordinates. Get Kix and come to my location.”

“Yes Sir,” came Cody’s steady-voiced reply over the comm. 

“Cody,” Obi-Wan said more quietly this time. “Hurry.”

“Yes Sir.”

Obi-Wan turned to Anakin and pulled him into his lap. He cradled his body in his arms. After a few moments, Anakin closed his eyes and his body started to go lax.

“No no no, Anakin, look at me,” Obi-Wan commanded. “Talk to me. Tell me what happened.”

Of course, from the context of the situation, Obi-Wan really didn’t need Anakin to explain his side of events, but Obi-Wan was determined to keep him talking. If he was talking, he was alive. 

“I- I was running and I fell. Broke my comm. It- it got me- but I ran- I escaped. Hid myself with the Force-” His breaths started to come more rapidly. 

“It’s alright, Anakin. I’m here now.”

“I’m s-sorry, Master.” 

“It’s okay. Just stay with me, alright?”

“I tried getting to you, but I-” Anakin inhaled sharply and squeezed his eyes shut. 

“I know, Anakin. It’s okay.”

Anakin nodded, but then whimpered slightly. Obi-Wan’s heart sank at the sound of it. “Hush Padawan. It’s okay. It’ll be okay,” he murmured as he ran his hand through Anakin’s sweaty hair. 

“Master, it… it hurts.”

“I know. We just need to wait a little bit longer okay? Cody and Kix will be here soon, I promise.” 

“I don’t know if- if I can,” Anakin stammered.

“You can, Anakin. You’re the strongest Jedi I know. You’ll get through this. I promise.”

Anakin whimpered again, this time tears of pain rolled down his cheeks. Obi-Wan’s desperation grew. The young man hadn’t cried in front of him since he was a Padawan. Obi-Wan ran a gentle thumb down Anakin’s cheeks and attempted to soothe him with calming Force energy.

Anakin’s breathing was labored. With every rise and fall of his chest, the gashes across his torso wept more blood. It was warm between Obi-Wan’s fingers.

“Cody,” he called with urgency into the comm. “What’s your ETA?”

“We’re nearly there, General.” 

“Master?” Anakin whimpered.

“Yes, Anakin?”

“I don’t want to die like this,” Anakin said around a choked sob.

“Well how lucky for you that you will not be dying like this. Cody and Kix will get here any minute and they’ll take care of you. You’re not dying. Not today alright? Not like this.”

“You don’t believe in luck,” came Anakin’s weakened reply.

“That may be so, but I believe in you,” Obi-Wan whispered, so quiet he wasn’t sure Anakin heard it until the younger man gave a small nod. The motion didn’t soothe any of Obi-Wan’s anxieties. He tried in vain to calm his own breathing. Panicking would not help Anakin.

_In, out, in out. Just as you were taught, Kenobi. Breathe._

He closed his eyes and wrangled himself into a slightly calmer state, opening himself up to his surroundings. As he did, he felt life forms off to the side. With unmistakable fury, he ignited his lightsaber, daring anything or anyone to come near him and his Padawan. 

“Easy, General, it’s just us.”

Cody’s steadying voice was music to Obi-Wan’s ears. He sighed in relief and extinguished his saber. 

“Here, let me see him,” Kix said calmly. He pulled away Obi-Wan’s blood-soaked robe and hissed at the sight. 

Anakin was barely conscious at this point. His eyes opened and closed slowly. 

“He’s losing a lot of blood,” Kix said as he furiously unraveled large bacta patches from his medkit. 

“He’s going to be fine, right?” Obi-Wan questioned.

Silence hung in the air between them. “Kix, is he going to be alright?” Obi-Wan questioned, his voice going an octave higher in pitch.

“I’m concerned he’s going into shock. We need to stop the bleeding and we need to get to _The Negotiator._ Now.”

Obi-Wan nodded. They _would_ stop the bleeding and they _would_ get to the ship in time. He wouldn’t let his mind wander to any other possibility, because what other possibility was there without Anakin at his side?

He watched as Kix hurriedly worked to clean the wounds and slap bacta patches on them. The wounds were deep and long and would likely need surgery, not just stitches. The bacta patches would do nothing except keep the wound clean and marginally slow the bleeding while they hurried to the ship. 

“Come on, help me carry him,” Kix said, gesturing to Cody. Cody immediately stepped in and hooked Anakin’s arm over his shoulder and Kix did the same with the other arm.

“I can carry him,” Obi-Wan said, unable to take his eyes off of Anakin. 

“No, General. The pathway here is dense. We need you to clear the path so we can carry him more easily,” Cody said gently.

Obi-Wan didn’t waste time arguing. “Right,” he said, igniting his lightsaber. 

Obi-Wan hacked away at the lush greenery blocking their path. He tore through leaves and vines and branches whose only crime was to grow in Obi-Wan’s way. Stray branches scratched at his face and tore through his tunics, but he ignored the stinging sensation accompanying each cut.

It was slower going than any of them would have liked, but eventually, they made it to the gunship at the rendezvous point. They clambered inside and lay Anakin on the floor. He had completely lost consciousness at some point during the journey to the rendezvous point, but he still maintained a weak pulse.

_Stay with me, Padawan._

There was no response, save the unsteady rise and fall of Anakin’s chest letting him know that his former Padawan still lived. Obi-Wan honed in on it as though it were a lifeline. Time seemed to move agonizingly slow and then simultaneously passed him by all in a blur as the gunship docked in _The Negotiator_. Clones swarmed around Anakin and carried him off to the med bay. Obi-Wan kept pace with them until Cody was standing in front of him, a hand placed firm against Obi-Wan’s chest.

“Sir, they need you to stay back.”

“Commander, let me go,” Obi-Wan said in a warning tone he had perfected after years of training Anakin. Cody didn’t falter. 

“I’m sorry, General, but Kix ordered me to keep you here. At the moment, he outranks both of us.”

Obi-Wan’s gaze had been set on the horde of clones taking Anakin into the med bay. Now, he turned his gaze to lock eyes with his Commander. 

_“Let me go, Cody.”_

“Let them do their jobs General. You’re of no use to him now.” 

The words felt harsher than Cody had surely intended them, but Obi-Wan knew his commander was right. The words managed to sink through the layer of fear and panic clouding his judgment.

_There is no fear._

Obi-Wan took a deep, centering breath.

“Forgive me, Commander. I am not myself.”

“It’s forgotten,” Cody said. 

“I need- I uh- I need to go write up a mission report. I have to-”

“Sir, I will handle the report and I’ll submit it to the Council on your behalf.”

“Cody, you don’t have to do that, I don’t need-”

“Yes, you do, General,” Cody interrupted. “You just wait here for General Skywalker.”

Obi-Wan looked at Cody with grateful eyes. “Thank you, Commander.” 

“Of course, Sir.”

Obi-Wan sat down in a cold plastic chair and did as he was told. He waited for General Skywalker.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading!!! :)))


	6. Class Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A newly knighted Obi-Wan waits for his young Padawan to get out of class.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Welcome to the beginning of the end. This chapter will be part one of two so it definitely functions as more of a "set-up" chapter, but not to worry, I'll post part 2 next Tuesday... or sooner if the feeling strikes;)

Exhausted fingers entered the passcode to the apartment. The door gilded open with a soft  _ whoosh  _ as it disturbed the air around it. Obi-Wan paid it no mind as he crossed the familiar threshold into his small but comfortable dwelling. 

It was late. Or was it early? Obi-Wan didn’t know anymore. He just knew he was exhausted and all he wanted in the whole world was to lie down and  _ sleep.  _

His solo mission to Corellia had been a successful one and free of incident, but he was drained from the long negotiations that took place in addition to the long journey home. 

Obi-Wan had left Anakin behind at the temple. He had correctly assumed the mission would be far too steeped in convoluted political matters to be of any relevance to his Padawan. He would need to learn about the intricacies of diplomacy and trade negotiations at some point, but for now, Obi-Wan’s Padawan was better served attending classes at the temple.

Obi-Wan hoped that his entrance into their shared quarters hadn’t awoken the young boy. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to see Anakin, he just desperately wanted, no,  _ needed, _ some rest.

With as much gentleness as he could muster, he set down his small bag by the door and quietly took off his boots. He padded through the apartment and walked past Anakin’s room. The door was slightly ajar, so Obi-Wan glanced at the child wrapped up in way too many blankets. He was sleeping soundly, his face relaxed and peaceful. Obi-Wan smiled fondly and continued on his trek to his own room. 

Obi-Wan didn’t even bother changing into sleep clothes. He lay down on top of the covers and instantly fell into a hard and blessedly dreamless sleep.

* * *

Obi-Wan felt the light pressure of small fingers digging into his shoulders. 

“Master!”

Obi-Wan groaned. It was far too early for this. 

_ “Masterrrrr,” _ came the petulant voice of his young Padawan. 

Obi-Wan opened tired eyes and blinked at the excited child in front of him. 

“Good morning, Anakin,” Obi-Wan groaned. 

“Why didn’t you tell me you got back?”

“You were asleep.”

“So?”

“Growing Padawan’s need their sleep,” Obi-Wan said. “As do their Masters.”

“You still should have told me you were back. I wouldn’t have minded.”

“Okay,” Obi-Wan mumbled, still half asleep. 

“Well, I just wanted to say hi, since you’ve been gone a while,” Anakin said, a little dejectedly. “I need to go to class.”

That woke him up. Guilt flooded Obi-Wan’s veins. 

“Anakin, wait, I’m sorry,” Obi-Wan said, sitting up. “It is good to see you.”

Anakin brightened a little bit. “It’s good to see you too, Master. Now, I have to go, I’m late!”

“You’re late?” Obi-Wan asked with confusion. He looked at the chrono on the wall and realized that Anakin was, in fact, late. He must have overslept, he concluded. Maybe that mission had taken more out of him than he initially thought. “Right, go on. I’ll see you after your class with Master Windu.”

“Bye Master!” Anakin shouted as he ran out of their apartment.

Obi-Wan lay back down. There were things he needed to do between now and the time he needed to pick up Anakin, but he was still so tired. He glared at the chrono on the wall and then willed himself to get up. His joints ached and the cold floor on his bare feet made him shiver. 

He slogged through his morning routine and grimaced at his reflection in the mirror. He looked tired and pale and his hair was still at an awkward length. It spiked in random places while the front was starting to fall into his eyes. He smoothed it back as best he could before giving up and returning to the kitchen table where he was supposed to work on his mission report. 

Obi-Wan normally didn’t mind doing mission reports. He didn’t love doing them either, but they always gave him a chance to reflect on his journies and contemplate areas of improvement. At the moment, however, Obi-Wan was finding it quite unfortunate that mission reports did not write themselves. He found himself spacing out every time he tried to write out the details of his latest mission. He wasn’t sure  _ why  _ he couldn’t seem to think straight, he just knew he was exhausted. Sighing, he set down his datapad and decided to meditate instead. Maybe that would help him focus – or at least pass the time until he could go pick up Anakin from his final class of the day. 

* * *

The light meditation turned into a deep meditation which then turned into a rather deep sleep. The alarm he had set blared at him. He jolted awake, blue eyes opening wide. With a wave of his hand, the incessant alarm turned off. His body ached from lying on the floor and he found the room was colder than he remembered. For a moment, he was glad that Anakin wasn’t here because he would surely be complaining ceaselessly about the frigid temperatures in their apartment. 

Wrapping his robe tighter around his body, Obi-Wan stood up slowly and tried to ignore the headache that had formed behind his eyes. He shook the weariness from his bones, ran tired fingers through messy hair, and made his way towards the training salles. Anakin would be there for his last class of the day – lightsaber training with Master Windu.

He approached the training salle and was glad to see the door was open. Normally it was closed and Obi-Wan wouldn’t be able to look in, so he was glad for the opportunity to observe while he waited for his Padawan. The entryway was at the back of the class so none of the Padawans were facing him. Obi-Wan leaned heavily on the door frame and watched his Padawan take in and master every new stance and kata Mace demonstrated.

The other Padawans were good. They managed to follow along to the best of their abilities, but Anakin… Anakin was  _ exceptional. _ He moved on instinct. Everyone in that class had years of training over him, but Anakin outshone them all. Every Padawan he set to spar against failed. He always got the upper hand until he was the last one standing. 

“Impressive, Padawan Skywalker,” Mace said with a neutral expression, but Obi-Wan could see a hint of excitement in his eyes at the prospect of such young, natural talent. “A little rough around the edges, but with some refinement, you will make an excellent swordsman.”

“Thank you, Master Windu,” Anakin said between quick breaths. 

Pride swelled in Obi-Wan’s chest. 

Mace had the Padawans run through a few more drills before he concluded the class. 

Obi-Wan shook off his weariness, stood up straight, and strode into the class as the Padawans weaved their way around him towards the exit. Obi-Wan could feel their exhaustion in the Force, but even without the Force, Obi-Wan would still be able to see the sweat-soaked Padawans tiredly making their way towards their next classes or towards their own living quarters. Anakin was still off in the corner, taking his sweet time lacing up his boots and getting his stuff together. Obi-Wan rolled his eyes fondly and took the opportunity to talk to Mace.

“Master Windu,” Obi-Wan greeted. “Still breaking in the new Padawans I see?”

“Someone needs to get their energy out, young Kenobi,” Mace said with a small smile.

“Ah yes, I am certainly in your debt for that.”

“Hardly. I’ve never been able to wear out young Skywalker.”

“That makes two of us,” Obi-Wan muttered.

Mace let out a soft laugh before turning to look at his friend. “You, however, seem pretty worn out. Are you feeling alright, Obi-Wan? You’re looking a little pale.”

“What? Oh, I uh, I’m fine, Master. Just a little tired. I just got back from Corellia.” 

Mace nodded. “And how are you holding up? With your new Padawan and your knighthood, and well… everything, I know it must be a challenging time for you.”

Obi-Wan swallowed thickly around the lump that had just formed in his throat. He hadn’t thought about  _ that _ for at least a few hours now, but Mace’s implications brought on a fresh wave of grief. “I’m uh… I’m doing well,” he finally said after a brief hesitation. His eyes were starting to burn and he looked at his feet. Silence hung thick between them.

“It’s okay to not be okay, Obi-Wan,” Mace said softly.

“I-I know Master Windu,” Obi-Wan replied, his voice quivering oh so slightly. 

“You know you can come to me, or to anyone in the order if you ever need help right?”

“I know.”

“You’re not alone, Obi-Wan. You have the strength of the Jedi behind you. Always.”

Obi-Wan felt the raw wave of grief crescendo in his chest at the comforting words. He blinked back tears and willed his voice to remain steady. “Thank you, Master Windu.”

“You can call me Mace now, you know?” Mace said.

“I know, I just haven’t gotten used to it yet,” he replied with a half-smile. Obi-Wan latched onto the topic shift. 

“You should. You’re an excellent knight Obi-Wan. It won’t be long before initiates and Padawans are referring to you as Master Kenobi."

Obi-Wan blinked up at him in surprise, but before he could formulate a response, Anakin was tugging on his robe.

“Hey, Master!” Anakin exclaimed.

“Hey little one,” Obi-Wan said warmly. “Ready to go get cleaned up and then get something to eat?”

“Yes!” Anakin said excitedly. 

“Looks like we need to be on our way. Goodbye, Master Windu,” Obi-Wan said, waving to the Master of the Order.

“Goodbye, Obi-Wan. You’ll have to come by and spar with me sometime. It’s been a while since I’ve had a proper challenge.”

“I will have to take you up on that. We can show my Padawan how it’s really done,” he said with a smirk. 

“Hey!” Anakin said, glaring up at him. 

Mace chuckled. “Anytime, Obi-Wan.”

* * *

Later at the evening meal, Obi-Wan asked about Anakin’s classes and Anakin babbled endlessly about everything he learned all day. Obi-Wan genuinely liked hearing about Anakin’s day and his classes, but he was once again having a hard time staying completely focused. It took him a second to realize Anakin was asking him a question.

“Master?” 

“Uh, yes, sorry Anakin, can you repeat that?”

Obi-Wan felt a twinge of guilt at the look of hurt in Anakin’s eyes. “I asked how much of the lightsaber class you saw.”

“Oh, right. Yes, I saw the last thirty minutes. You were quite good.”

“You think so?” Anakin said, excitement returning to his features.

“Yes, I think you have quite a talent.”

“Really?”

“I do, but you have much to learn, my very young Padawan.”

“But I beat all of the other Padawans!”

“Don’t get overconfident Anakin,” Obi-Wan said, his tone taking a serious turn. “Pride is a deathblow in a real fight.” 

“But Master Windu says I need to be confident with my blade,” Anakin whined.

“Confidence and pride are two different things, Padawan. Trusting yourself, trusting your body and your blade to do what needs to be done – that is confidence. Overestimating your abilities, thinking yourself above your opponents – that is pride.”

“But you said I had a talent for it.”

“And you do, but raw talent will only take you so far if it is left unrefined. You must practice. Rely on your training in addition to your instincts. Let them work in tandem, and you will become a powerful knight.”

“Yes, Master,” Anakin huffed. Obi-Wan was sure he would have to repeat that lesson many times over, but for now, he let Anakin continue to babble about his classes. 

Obi-Wan tried to focus on his Padawan and not the growing headache behind his eyes or the rising nausea in his stomach, but it was becoming quite the challenge. He absentmindedly pushed around his food with his fork while he tried to listen to Anakin. 

“Are you going to eat that, Master?”

Obi-Wan looked back up at Anakin. “Oh uh, probably not. You can have it.”

Anakin eyed him suspiciously. “Are you sure?”

“Yes, Padawan. I’m not that hungry. I had a large midday meal.” _A cup of tea counts as a large midday meal, right?_

Regardless, Obi-Wan’s answer seemed to satisfy Anakin. He dragged Obi-Wan’s plate over to him and dug into it ravenously. Obi-Wan had no idea how one small child could be so hungry all the time, but he didn’t complain. He was glad his Padawan had become more comfortable around him. They had only been Master and Padawan for a short time now, but he was glad Anakin had warmed to him. It hadn’t taken long at all for him to warm to Anakin. 

* * *

The next morning was almost an exact repeat of the last. Obi-Wan was once again awoken by his Padawan. 

“Anakin?” he said with confusion.

“Good morning Master!” Anakin said. How the boy was so chipper at such an ungodly hour was beyond Obi-Wan. 

“Good morning, Anakin.” Obi-Wan coughed lightly.

“Master, are you alright?”

“Huh?” Obi-Wan said dazedly before his head cleared a little. “Oh, uh yes. I’m fine Padawan.”

Anakin eyed him suspiciously, but his focus shifted rather quickly. “I should go. I’m going to be late. Again.”

“Again?” Obi-Wan questioned. He looked at the chrono on the wall.  _ Oh.  _ Perhaps the hour wasn’t so ungodly after all.

“Yes, again.”

Obi-Wan let out a long-suffering sigh. “Yes, please go before Master Yoda lectures me about your problems with punctuality. I’ll see you after your class with Master Ti, alright?”

“Alright!” Anakin said brightly, practically skipping out of the door to their quarters. “Bye, Master!”

“Bye Padawan,” Obi-Wan said weakly, instantly falling back asleep the second the door closed behind Anakin. 


	7. Class Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anakin waits for Obi-Wan to pick him up from class, but what happens when he doesn't show?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is! The final chapter of In The Waiting. Enjoy!

Anakin hated waiting. To him, patience was anything but a virtue. 

Still, he sat on the bench outside Master Shaak Ti’s classroom and waited for his Master. He was all alone in the hallway. Master Ti had left and all of the other Padawans had scattered on their own or had been picked up by their own Masters. 

Obi-Wan  _ always  _ picked Anakin up. 

It wasn’t that Anakin was incapable of returning to their quarters all by himself. No, Anakin could get around the temple all on his own now  _ thank you very much _ . It was just that it had become routine for Obi-Wan to pick up Anakin after his last class of the day. At least it was the routine when Obi-Wan was at the temple. If he was away on a mission deemed too dangerous or too unimportant to bring such a new and young Padawan on, Anakin would just walk himself home. However, Obi-Wan had just returned from a mission two days ago. It had been a run-of-the-mill trade discussion on Corellia. Surely Obi-Wan wouldn’t have been sent on another one so soon. And if he had, he surely would have told Anakin about it before leaving. Yes, Anakin was convinced Obi-Wan would have told him if he was leaving again. 

But then again, Obi-Wan was  _ always _ early. He would wait in the halls outside the classroom thirty minutes before he needed to be there, patiently meditating while Anakin finished up his daily lessons. Then, they would always go and enjoy an evening meal together. Obi-Wan always asked about Anakin’s day and about what he learned. Anakin liked that. It was their routine and Anakin liked that routine. 

So as he sat alone on the bench, his legs swinging back and forth because he couldn’t quite yet reach the floor, he tried to push down his anger at Obi-Wan for breaking their routine. What if Obi-Wan  _ did  _ leave without telling him? 

Anakin had been excited to tell Obi-Wan about all the new words he learned how to spell in basic, today. He wanted to see his eyes light up with pride at all the new things he was learning. He was also quite hungry and was annoyed that Obi-Wan’s absence was forcing him to wait longer for the evening meal. 

He tried to ignore his growling stomach as he weighed his options. On one hand, he could continue to wait here for Force knows how long. On the other hand, he could return to their quarters and confirm if Obi-Wan was still there and ask him why he hadn’t come for him this evening. With the second option, Anakin ran the risk of missing his Master in the hallways; however, it was by far the more actionable of the two options. 

It was an easy choice really. 

Anakin hopped off of the bench and began making his way towards their quarters. The Jedi temple was huge and had been very intimidating to him at first, but now, he enjoyed exploring the carefully constructed halls. He liked the artwork that splashed every corner and the plants that livened up the spaces throughout the building. It was a beautiful place to live. There had been no such beauty on Tatooine. Anakin shook off those thoughts and instead focused on getting home. 

He entered the passcode and the door slid open with a soft  _ whoosh _ .

“Master?” he called out. His heart sank a little when he saw the empty living space. 

_ How could he leave without telling me? _

Anakin set his bookbag down and ventured further into their apartment. “Master?” he called again in quiet desperation. 

Anakin saw the light on in the fresher and noticed that the door was slightly ajar. Relief ran through him when he realized Obi-Wan  _ hadn’t _ left without him, but that didn’t explain why he hadn’t been there to pick him up. He crept into the small room and his heart leapt into his throat at the sight. 

Obi-Wan was lying curled up on the tile floor. He was shivering and his eyes were closed. He looked deathly pale and his strawberry-blond hair was a tousled mess. 

“Obi-Wan!” Anakin shouted. He was instantly at his Master’s side. Anakin gently pushed Obi-Wan’s hair out of his eyes but almost recoiled when he felt the heat coming off of Obi-Wan’s forehead. “Master? Come on, wake up.”

Anakin shook Obi-Wan’s shoulder. He let out a soft moan, but didn’t make any further attempts to wake up.

“Obi-Wan, please,” Anakin begged, still shaking his shoulders.

“An’kin?” he finally slurred. “What’re you doin’ here? You have class.”

“No, my classes ended. It’s past six Master.”

A small flare of recognition crossed through glassy blue eyes. “I’m sorry, An’kin. Didn’t mean to keep you waiting…”

“Master, what’s wrong?” Anakin’s voice was small and frightened. 

“The ground’s cold,” Obi-Wan complained, ignoring the question entirely.

“Can you get up?”

“‘Course I can,” Obi-Wan said indignantly, making no move to get up.

Anakin pulled on Obi-Wan’s arm, but he was too heavy and clearly not willing to move from his spot on the cold tile floor.

Now that he thought about it, Anakin had noticed that Obi-Wan appeared to be a little under the weather this morning. Anakin had thought it was just a cold and no big deal. At least, that’s how Obi-Wan had made it seem. Now, it was clear this was more than just a cold. Obi-Wan’s eyes were glassy and heat rolled off of his skin. He was pale and delirious and it frightened Anakin. 

His mother had gotten sick like this once. Anakin had never been more scared in his life. He had thought she was going to die, and she probably would have, had it not been for the kindness of a few other slaves who had given them their extra water and medicine rations. 

Obi-Wan groaned softly and his eyes were squeezed shut. He curled his legs up tighter to his chest, making him look smaller – more vulnerable. 

Tears burned in Anakin’s eyes. He didn’t know what to do. He was feeling very overwhelmed. The person he would normally seek guidance from in this situation was now currently laying on the floor, clearly in pain, and not exactly in a position to give advice. 

“Master, what do I do?” Anakin questioned in spite of himself. 

“Water,” Obi-Wan whispered hoarsely. 

Water. Anakin could get water. Why had he not thought of that? He quickly ran to the kitchen and climbed up on the counter to reach a glass. They were kept up pretty high, but heights had never stopped Anakin before. He filled it with water and carefully brought it back to the fresher. 

“Master?” Anakin questioned. Obi-Wan appeared to be asleep. “Master, wake up, I got you some water.” 

Anakin shook Obi-Wan’s shoulder and the older Jedi blinked lazily. Anakin helped him sit up and he pressed the glass to Obi-Wan’s lips. He took a few sips before refusing more.

“Master, I think you should drink more water.”

Obi-Wan shook his head but then winced. “No… no, it’s making me nauseous.”

As he said it, he quickly moved towards the toilet and threw up the little amount of water he had just drank. He continued dry heaving for a while before slowly transitioning to labored panting. The action appeared to draw out what little remained of his energy. He slumped back on the ground, his eyes closed tightly. He was shivering uncontrollably now. 

“Master?” Anakin questioned nervously. 

He didn’t reply.

_ “Obi-Wan,” _ Anakin whined

“Get… Bant…” Obi-Wan said softly through chattering teeth.

“Who’s Bant?”

“Friend.”

Anakin raced out of the fresher and to Obi-Wan’s room. He found his commlink lying on his bedside table and raced back to Obi-Wan. 

Obi-Wan barely had the strength to enter the correct frequency for Anakin before he closed his eyes again.

“Obi?” a friendly sounding female voice called over the commlink. 

“Are you Bant?” Anakin questioned shyly. 

“Yes, I am. Are you Anakin Skywalker?”

“Yes.”

“How can I help you Anakin Skywalker? Where’s your Master?”

“He’s… he’s here,” Anakin said, choking back tears. “He didn’t pick me up from class… and… and h-he’s laying on the floor… and I don’t know what’s wrong with him. Please help him.”

“It’s okay little one, I’ll be there very soon. We’ll figure this out. Can you tell me a little more about what’s going on?”

“He’s hot, but he’s shivering.”

“Okay, very good Anakin. That probably means he has a fever. Can you tell me more?”

“Uh-huh,” Anakin whimpered. “He threw up and he’s really pale.” 

“It’ll be alright, Anakin, I’m almost at your quarters.”

“Okay,” Anakin tried to say evenly, but it still sounded like a whine to his own ears. 

Soon enough, there was a knocking at the front door. Anakin raced to go open it and let her in.  When he opened the door, he looked up at the tall Mon Calamari woman. She had beautiful pink skin and kind eyes. She was carrying a small medkit in her webbed hands.

“Hi Anakin,” she greeted. “It’s lovely to meet you, though I wish it were under better circumstances. Your Master has told me much about you.”

Anakin only nodded.

“Now, can you take me to your Master?” she asked calmly.

“He’s this way,” Anakin gestured and began walking back towards the fresher.

Bant knelt by Obi-Wan’s side and placed a gentle hand on his forehead.

“Hey Obi,” she murmured. 

“Bant?” he whispered weakly.

“Yes, it’s me. Obi, tell me what’s wrong.”

“Think I’m sick.”

“Yes, and your talent for stating the obvious clearly hasn’t been affected.” 

He smiled lightly but then closed his eyes again. 

“Obi, stay awake for me please.”

He only hummed in response. 

She took out a medical instrument and began listening to his heartbeat and his chest.

“Your heart rate is a little faster than I would like it to be, Obi,” she said, her tone worried. “And your lungs aren’t as clear as I would like them.”

“Sorry to disappoint,” he murmured weakly.

Bant turned to Anakin and noticed his wide eyes.

“He’ll be alright, Anakin,” she said calmly. “We do need to get him to the halls of healing though. His fever is too high, we need to get it down. Has he been traveling recently?”

“Uh huh,” Anakin nodded. “He just got back from Corellia.” 

“Well, that would explain it.”

“Explain what?”

“It would explain why he has Corellian flu.”

“Oh.”

Anakin sat next to Obi-Wan, gently squeezing his hand, while Bant called the halls of healing.

“An’kin,” he whispered through chattering teeth.

“Yes, Master?”

“It’s alright. Don’t be… don’t be afraid.” 

“I’m not afraid.”

“Don’t lie to me, Padawan.”

“Sorry, Master.”

“’s okay, An’kin,” Obi-Wan slurred before his eyes fluttered closed again. 

Anakin continued to sit next to Obi-Wan until more healers showed up and took him to the halls of healing where Vokara Che was waiting for him.

The healers stopped Anakin in the waiting room while they started to pull Obi-Wan into a more private hospital room.

Obi-Wan suddenly reached out and grabbed Bant’s wrist. His grip looked surprisingly tight, considering how weakened he had become. “Bant, he… he needs to eat something. He’s still so skinny… make sure he eats. Please.”

“It’s alright, Obi, I’ll make sure he gets something to eat. Don’t you worry,” Bant murmured. 

Obi-Wan visibly relaxed and let his eyes flutter closed again. His body went completely lax and he let go of Bant’s wrist. The healers pulled him away and Anakin could no longer see or hear his Master.

* * *

Anakin wasn’t all that hungry anymore. His worry for his Master had made him forget his appetite entirely; however, Bant wasn’t going to let him go back to the halls of healing until he ate at least half of the meal in front of him. 

Bant had volunteered to watch over Anakin since there were more than enough healers in the halls who could take care of Obi-Wan. Now, the two of them were sitting together in the mess hall while Anakin picked at his food.  Anakin didn’t know Bant all that well, but he already liked her. She was calm and she was nice and Obi-Wan seemed to like and trust her, so that was enough for him. 

“Two more bites and we can go see your Master,” Bant said.

Anakin forced down two more bites and then hurriedly cleared his plate at the trash compactor.

“Can we go now?”

“Yes, we can go now,” she said with a kind smile. 

Together they walked back to the halls of healing, Anakin practically bouncing with each step. 

“Now, we’re allowed to go sit with Obi-Wan, but if he’s resting we need to let him sleep okay?”

Anakin nodded.

“Good, let’s go.”

Anakin didn’t like seeing his Master like this. He was so pale and he looked so young. He had an IV attached to his arm, but the rest of him was covered by a thin blanket. He was asleep and eerily still.

Anakin and Bant settled in on some nearby plastic chairs. Anakin’s feet swung back and forth nervously.

“I can sense your fear, young one,” she said. 

“Sorry,” Anakin said meekly, his cheeks reddening. Sometimes he hated that everyone around here could always tell what he was thinking.

“It’s alright, Anakin. It’s perfectly natural. But your Master is going to be fine. The Corellian flu can be dangerous, but he has the best care here at the temple. That, and I’ve known Obi-Wan my whole life. He’s very strong.” 

“Your whole life?” Anakin questioned, perking up slightly.

“Oh yes, your Master and I go way back. We were agemates in the creche.”

“Really?”

“Yep, and he was a lot like you at your age,” she said with a wry smile.

“Oh yeah?” Anakin said, a smile reappearing on his face. 

“Mhmm. He got himself into some trouble at your age too, though I guess he really hasn’t stopped getting himself into trouble now has he?” she said with a smile. “One time, he accidentally broke this really old vase in the room of a thousand fountains. When he tried to fix it, he ended up gluing his hands together.”

Anakin couldn’t help but giggle at the mental image of his Master trying to unstick his hands from each other.

“What slander are you filling my Padawan’s head with, Bant?” Obi-Wan questioned from his spot on the bed.

“Master!” Anakin exclaimed, returning his full attention to Obi-Wan. He jumped up and bounced slightly on the balls of his feet in excitement. 

“It’s not slander if it’s a true story, Obi,” Bant chuckled. “Now, how are you feeling?” she added, walking to his side and placing a gentle hand on his forehead.

“I’m alright. Tired.”

“That’s to be expected. Do you still feel cold?”

He nodded weakly. 

“Anakin, can you go ask Master Che for some extra blankets?”

Anakin nodded and dutifully ran out to go find Master Che.

“Now, tell me, how do you really feel?” Bant questioned Obi-Wan quietly. 

“Awful,” he admitted with a half-smile. “I didn’t want to scare him more than he already is.”

“I know, but you need to be honest with me.”

“Sorry, Bant… I- I’m sorry,” his voice broke.

“Hey, it’s alright,” her voice was gentle, but her cadence carried her worry. 

“No, it’s…” he trailed off, burying his face in his hands. 

“What is it, Obi?”

“I can’t… I can’t even take care of myself, how…  _ how _ am I supposed to take care of a  _ Padawan?  _ No, not just any Padawan. I have to take care of  _ The Chosen One.  _ How am I supposed to protect him Bant? How am I supposed to raise him?”

Bant sighed. She grabbed his hand and pulled it away from his face. His blue eyes were bright with fever and irritation. A stray tear rolled down his cheek. He swiped it away with his free hand and turned his eyes downcast. 

“I don’t know, Obi-Wan,” Bant finally said. “But if anyone I know is up to the task, it’s you.”

“You don’t mean that.”

“I do.”

“I’m a disappointment to him.”

“What in the world would make you say that?” Bant asked, surprised by his confession.

“I’m not  _ him.  _ I can’t ever be him.” 

_ Ah _ . Bant didn’t have to ask who he was talking about. It had only been a few weeks since… 

Bant sighed. 

“No. You can’t. No one can. That’s just how it works, Obi-Wan,” Bant implored, squeezing his warm hand. “Stop comparing yourself to him. That way lies misery.” 

“I suppose.”

“Besides, you should have seen Anakin while you were half-passed out and delirious. The boy was beside himself. He was so worried about you, Obi-Wan.”

Obi-Wan flashed her a half-smile. “I really need to teach him how to get control over his fear don’t I?” 

“It might be a bit of an uphill battle for you.”

“I’m well aware,” Obi-Wan sighed. “Thank you, Bant. For taking care of him. And me.”

“Of course, Obi.”

Anakin came bounding back into the room with blankets piled high in his arms. “I found some!” he said excitedly.

“Thank you, Padawan,” Bant said, taking a blue fleece blanket off the top of the stack and laying it on top of Obi-Wan who nestled into it gratefully.

“When is he going to get better?” Anakin questioned.

“That depends, but he probably won’t be back to his full health for at least two weeks,” she said. She then turned to Obi-Wan. “You’re probably going to have to hold off on any strenuous activities for a little while, including lightsaber training with your Padawan.”

Obi-Wan glanced nervously at Anakin, bracing himself for pushback from the hyperactive child. He was surprised when sympathetic eyes locked onto his. 

“It’s alright Obi-Wan. I can wait.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Omg, you guys I'm emotional. I've been blown away by the response to this fic. Y'all are the best. Thank you so much for reading and for leaving all your lovely notes and kudos. This fic was so much fun for me to write, and I've deeply enjoyed sharing it with you all. 
> 
> This fic may be over for now, but the good thing about this format is I can always pick it up again if I get a good enough idea. I don't currently have anything in mind now, but if y'all want to give me some prompts you can always leave a comment or ask me on Tumblr. I'm working on a few other WIPs right now, but if you send me a prompt, I'll do my best to get to it quickly.
> 
> Again, thank you so much for reading! <3

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and comments are always welcomed here! You can also come talk to me on Tumblr [@stolen-pen-name23](https://stolen-pen-name23.tumblr.com/)! Thanks for reading :)


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